Sounding device



Patented July 1, 1930 ram) I. Lauren, or nmv ya N. Y.

- Application filed May as,

soUnn'Ino nnvren a This invention relates to a sounding device, and particularlyto one which is'adapted for producing articulated sound, such as the word ma-ma orrthe like, the device being intended essentially for use in dolls and similar toys An object-of thepresent improvement is to provide a sound producing device of the character referred to'and which will include a gravity operable bellows, an'element to produce sound 1n consequence of "a gravlty operation of the bellows,

and a novel form of control means for the emitted sound, which control means is of simpleandprac tical construction'and isadapted to perform its sound articulating function independently otthe gravity operation of the bellows.

A more specific object is V to provide an improved form of control means for the emitted sound which control means comprises a plurality of pivotally mounteddiscs so weighted and cO relate d with each other and with the remainder of themechanism .as to cause successive .soundingof the sound" producing element in a predetermined manner when the doll or other an upright to aireclining A further specific object is to provide intermediate posltlon.

toy is moved from position.

sound producing device of the character in: dlcated including a casing having a Palth tion therein formed with a sound chamber,

. ingv a reed in its sound cha the partition con.-

mber in' 'communication with the interiorof thebellows so as to be sounded by moveme nt of the movable head, all' of said parts being within the cas- 'in g, and to provide further a control means fork-the mentloned. closure whlch control means consists, of gravity acting a mechanism which is independent of the gravity action of the-movablebellows head but which occupies a positionwithin thecasing-extending alongone side o'f the; casingsubstantially I movement of the; V 'housing betweenitself and said wall 3 1 parallel with the path of movable bellows head.

1928. serial No. 279,902.

A furtherspecifio object is to provide an improved and eriicient means for connecting the bellows cloth with the bellowsheadi Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred toabove, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out inthecourse ofrthe-following description of the elements,combinations, arrangements of parts and applications 0f principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated'in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification,and in which I have shown merely a-preferred form of embodiment of the invention:- pi; a Fig; 1 is a vertical sectional viewthrough a sounding devioe'oonstructed'in accordance with this invention.

2-is' a similar view but taken at right angles to the view F1g.i1. Fig.-

3 is. a similar viewbut showingthe mechanlsm in its reversed P08111011? and the grav ty movlng parts 1n the1r'oppos1te extreme, as compared wlth the position Fig. Luis aview similar to but showing-the gravity moving parts 1n an Referring to the drawings for describing inf'detail I the. structure which is illustrated therein," the reierence character L indicates an. enclosingcaslng orihousing w thin which the operative mechani is contained. This housing may beof any 'ap t ropriate shap e or construction an'dmay be oieither. sheet metal,

cardboard, or other material. Itis prefer: ably, though not necessarily, of cylindrical form including an annular side walla aswl and opposite'icn d walls'a's- 2 and 3. one of i theseend walls, asS, is perforated, as indicatedat H, so that the" sound may readily 7 pass outwardlyfrom the housing.

l/Vthin this housing is a bellows member-j G mounted ln a relatlvely fixed position:ex-

tending across the housing and constituting an. reality-a partition -w1th1n the 'lrousing spaced .trointheend wall 3 so as" to provide a soundtdefusing chamber asfiWithi-n-tlie This partitionorbellows member may take a any appropriate form and may be held in position by any suitable means but for the purpose of the present illustration it is shown to consist ofasheet metal CllSC as 6 of general annular contour having. a marginal 'flangeportion as? fitting snugly into the end portion of the housing andbeing' in turn fianged laterally as at 8 to overlie the end edge 1' '10 of the housing, thereby to retain the partition against lateral movement asjwell "as housing.

against longitudinal movement" within the housing5 a11d this 7 flange has in-struck pori tions as which engage the flange :8 for mutualvretention both of the partition and oi- 55 the wall 3"against' movement with respect to eachother, it being understood that the flange 9 grips'fixedly upon 'thewall of the-housing by. tight .7 frictional contact, by the use of an adhesive,.oriotherwise.

Attached to Zthe inner or upper surface of fthefdisc 6 is a disc or member-lliwhich has a laterally .projecting annular flangefas 12 there-on serving as the immediate means pro vi ded for attachmentof the bellows cloth 13.

'rThe members 6 andillf are so. shaped as to provide between them a sound chamber as le gwithin whichis arrangeda reed 15 always'in :communication with" the ;interior of the bet 1 lows as by meansof an opening 16 into which "isifitted a. hollow tubular member lThaving direct connection withfone" end of the reed.

Y 4 Theouter or lower wall as 18of' the sound chamber is formed withIa sound emitting isguarded by aarnovable'closure 20. V The closure 20 is piv-otally/ mounted. upon l the stationary headeethe bellows as a 21 'lan'dits .opening movement is'lirnited by; a

by {adisc which preferably is otconsicl erable weightand-is adapted therebytolconstop as 22 which; is provided" for that purpose, At its.free edgethis-closureextends "beyond"theIsoimdgchamber and is "shaped to p provide asurfaceas 23 atone end of which- I is provided a camlike portion 241 for purposes which WiIlJbei'presently described.

The free end of the bellows cloth is closed *stitute a fjnioyable gravity actuated bellows 1 The mannerkot: connectingthe opposite pendsiof thefibellows; cloth 13. with the stationary andmova-ble heads may take any ap;

propriateiorm. As herein shown itis swig 71 geste dthatthe lfiange-12 ofthe stationary head may be .sh'apedto provi'de an annular I t groove as 26 thereingxan d'sai split spring j ring *as 27';- isgsugges'te'd tor gripping about the outer surfacefof'the "bellows clothfiand b01617 i'ngsaidcloth pressechinto the;groove 26.1

, In order l tofmake this joint entirely air of the word.

r This operation of theicontr'olmechanism is 1 gravity c'ontrolledbut withoutmechanical tight it is suggested further that a layer of wax or other appropriate material as 28 may be applied within the groove prior to the application ofthe bellows cloth thereto so that when the bellows cloth is pressed into the groove bymeans of the ring 27 said cloth will be-caused to become embedded within the waxy material and thus made proof far described that when the bellows is in the position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,(that is y when the doll within whichthe device is 'mounted is in. its upright position) the bel lows will stand normally collapsed but that when the device is reversed, as by movement :01 :thedoll, the movable head of the bellows will fall'by gravity and distend the bellows as in Fig. 3 thus drawing. air intothe bellows through the reed torsounding the reed. The inward movementof air. will however be con trolled by opening'and closing of the soundbox closure 20. i

Whilethe closure 20 of'course stands open,

'by'gravity when thedevice isin the position Eggs; 1 and 2 it will instantlyvcloseby gravity when the. device is reversed. It will remain closed asulong as th'e device stands re-' versed, except asit will be forced open by the soundco'ntrol 5 to be described. opening as 19therethrough and this opening mechanism H which is now The sound controlmechanism H performs i its function bycontroll-ingtheposition of the :closure2Q accordingto a pro-arranged schedule. In the present instance it is designed :for causing the sound to be emitted in such ymann'er as to pronounce the word ma-ma and V sit accomplishes this by first opening the'closure for a short period sufficient to permit of the emission of a short soundof the reed, corresponding with the syllable ma-,then by'permitting theclosur'e to close by gravityfor a Vmomentary period suficient to mark theseparation between-the first and second syllables or the word Ina-ma, and finally T byagain -opening'the closure andholding'it open for the prolonged sounding ofthe second syllable connection 1 with the gravity movingbellows head. 7 It occurs ofcourse during theperiod while the-bellows head is moving however but'its phases have no precis'e'relationor me- ;chanical association with the position of the movable bellows head. .The F first syllable will be sounded during the early stages of movement of the bellowsheadiandthe second path oi the bellows head.

syllable willbe .soundedduring' the latter stages oii-movement of the bellows head, and

preferably the second syllable will be-of longs er duration than tliefirst, but the'relative lengths of these syllables will dependlargely upon the mannerand the rapidity of move-' ment of the doll. Y r

The control inechanism"H as'illust'rated consists 01"? two discs, a's-29 and 30, mounted to oscillate freely upon a common pivot as 31 which projects laterally from-a carrier plate 3 the latter being rigidly. connected with the partition G and extending therefrom. longitudinally of the housing in substantially parallel relation to the pathjof movement of the movable head of the bellows so that the pivot 31 is arranged axially transverse to the separator as 33 1s arranged between these discs in orderthat-there may be noifrictional influence of one upon the other.

The disc'29 has a radially projecting finger a's 34 which is positioned for wiping against the surface 23 of the closure as-the disc ro- -;tates, this wiping engagement being of a character to'cause the closure to be opened and then closed as the finger'engages and passes the surface. q V

' The disc 29 also has a stop pinas 35 thereon positioned to engage a shoulder or other ap-' propriate form of stop as 36 'stationarywith the plate 32tolimit movementof the disc in one direction, movement inthe opposite direction being limited by engagement of the finger 34 with a. second stop as 37- also rigid with the plate 32.

The disc'29 is so? weighted that when the surface 23 and the stop 35 to coinefto rest against thestpf36. 1?

-. he disc has va radiallyprojectingifinger as 38 which is positioned for wiping against thecam 24L of the closure asthe'disc 30 rotates.

This wiping engagement is 'of'acharacter to cause the closure to; be opened and held opened as the-fin ger engagesthe cam and'continues to stand in engagement therewith as shown in'Fig. i r

lhedi'sc 30 also hasastop"pi'n39 thereon. "positioned to engage ashoulder as' iO which) is provided for th'e p'urpo'se"uponethe disc 29 to limit movementoffltlre' disc 30 inone'i'di'ree tion vasin Fig. 3, movement of said'disc 30in the opposite direction} beinglimited by 'en "gageme'nt of the stop pin 39 'with a stop er shoulder as rigid: with the The disc 301i st weight-ed that when the device is in the -pos1tion as in Flg'Sflitlld 2 said disc 30 will stand normally with its stop p n-39 resting against the shoulder 41, with the finger 38 spaced a considerable distance from the cam 24, and so that when the device is reversed said disc 30 will maintain its positioniunaltered as in FigfJl until thepin ofdisc 29, during its movement as above referred to,- strikes the finger 38and thereby gives impetus to the disc 30'suiiicient tocarry it over a dead centre and thereafter cause it :to 'lunctlon by gravity forswinglng the finger 38 through the intervening spa'ceto and against the cam 24 for lifting the sound box closure, as in Fig. 3. i

it :will be seen that the period of time during which the sound box closure is iniby theperiodof engagement of finger 34 with the surface .23iand that this may be modified within desirable limitsJby the speed of movement of the fingerv and the shape'of the surface 23";with respect to the path of "movement oi'ssaid finger. Also that the period of time-between the: closing of the sound box closure by the passing of finger 34 and its subsequent-opening by finger 38 is of duration dependent upon the distance through which'the'finger 38 moves and its speedof-inovenient. And further that the duration 0 f time i for the sounding of the final syllable of the word ma-ma is .quite iindefiniteand is. limited only by the duration of opening movement 10% the bellowsl after 7 the sloundlbox. closure has been opened by the finger 38. I

It is ainatter of importanceto' note that the stationary plate 32 not only serves as a supportfor. the nioving elements ofithe'sound control -mechanismbut also stands as a" partition longitudinally of the. housing L dividing said housing into twoconipartnients one as 42 for containing the bellows and the; other as 43 for containing the sound controlinechanism. It co-operates also with. the wallsof -the housing to constitute a suitable guidelfor the movable h'ead'ofthe bellows,

tially open for the pronunciation of the first syllable of the word Ina-ma is determined liU The cam 24: isso shaped and related to the v finger 38 that when the'parts are in thepositiouEig'; 3 theffinger 38 will be caught behind a'reliitivelyhigh point orhump 'o f' th'e cam and thereby held byfriction againstany I 'rebcundmovement away from the ca m.

As ma ny changesco'uld be made ini this bonst'ructihh iwithout departing -i:'ron1 the scope of the invention as defined in ithe r'ol- 'lowlng claims, t is intended that all'matter contained in the'above description or shown 1 in;thefaccomp anyingdrawings; shallibe in terpretedas' illustrative o' lyan'd not ma limiting sense. f-

'ing" thus described my inven'tioin'i'vhat I cla m as-new'and deslr'etosecure by Letters "P nt -is 1 1. vlAjsound producing device-comprising a .15 I aside casing, a'reed within said casing, means also prising a member movable by gravity in one direction along the. casing, means providing asound chamberwwith which the reed comununicates and having a'scund emitting open;

ing therefrom, a closureffor, said opening, means constituting a partition within thecasingentending"parallel with the path of movementeoflsaid gravity movable member and at foneh s de thereof, and control means for said closure iflIIEtIlgGd. within the casing at-the-opposite side of said partition, said control means'comprising a gravity control elementflthe gravity movement of which-is in the same general direction asxt-he gravity 5 movement of the firstnmentioned gravity movable members 1 7 3. -Afys'ounfd producing :device. comprising pa casing,'a. reedawithin saidcasing,means also 'witli'insthecasi'ng for sounding the reed comprising a member movable by gravity in one direction along the casing, me-ans. providing a sound chamber'xwith'whichthe reed communicates and having a so'undfemitting opening Q o] therefrom, a "closure for saidopening, means 1 constituting. aspartition within thecasing extending parallel with, the path of. movement of said gravityfj movable "member and, at one side thereof, controlmeans for said closure ged within the; casingat the opposite f-saidpartitiomsaid control means comprising a pair oii pivotally mounted members havinggweightedportions.to move by gravity inkthe same general direction as saidfirst mentinned gravity movable member for thereby aving portions; toengagefthe closure.

;asoun dj chamber-with which the reed'communicates andhaving a sound emittingopenmeans constituting 'ap'artition within thecasfling extendingfparallel with the-path of movement of saidgravity movable member at. one 7 side thereof, control means fori sai i closu're arranged within the casing at the opposite within the'casing torsoundingthe reed co'mng. said members, and said: members 4.. A sou-ndproducing device comprising a ica'sin-g', a need withinsaid casing,- means also withini the casing for sounding the reed com- I prisingaf member movable by gravity inione 1 idirectionalongithe'casing, means providing taryimovement of the discs, and means whereing therefrom, a ;;closure for; said opening,

sideof said p'artion, said control means comprising apair of members pivotally supported upon said partition, saidmembers having weighted portions to move by gravity in the same generaldirection as said first mentioned gravity movable memberlfior thereby rotating said members, means whereby the rotation of one member is consequent upon rotation 5. A sound producing device comprising a casing, means providing a partition extending across thecasing in fixed relation thereto h'aving a sound chamber provided therein,-

a reed communicating with said chamber, means connected withsaid partition co-operativetherewith to provide a bellows in com inunicationwith the reed to sound the reed by operationofthe bellows, said bellows having a gravity movable head, the sound cham- .ber having a sound emitting openinglthrougb one wall thereof, a closure forsaid opening, and control means for said. closure arranged "withinthe casing at one'side of the bellows formingmeans, said control means comprising a part having operative connection with the closure to control the closure and being disconnected operatively from'the movable i,

head'of the bellows.

I '6. A sound producing device comprising a .cas1ng,,means providing a sound chamber therein, a reed communicating with. said sound chamber, \meansprovidi-ng a bellows in communication with the reed including a movable head adapted to travel by gravity longitudinallyof the casing for thereby causa pivotally mounted closure for said opening havingportions. at its free edge adapted to be engaged by actuating elements of a control mechanism 'for said closure, together'with a ,controlimechanismfor said closure disposed within'kthe casing at one sideaof the bellows comprisinggravity controlled parts engaging thementioned'portions of the closure to' -actucatet c o 1 c 7, A soundproducing device comprising areed,;means to; sound the reed, and means to interrupt the soundproduced by, the reed comprising a movable sound controlling mem ber and ;:a pair of discs pivotally mounted 1' acentsaid sound controlling member hav ing portions to engagefsaid member during roby the rotary movement of one disc is .conse- 1 quent uponrotarv movement of the other. 7

j acent said sound controlling member having I portions to engage said member during rotary movement of the discs, and means whereby rotary movement of one disc to move the sound controlling member Will effect a rotary movement of the second disc for again moving the sound controlling member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

, FRED I. LAUTER. 

